Friday, October 31, 2014

Researchers
at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have recently
developed a novel method of converting adult human skin cells into medium spiny
neurons, a specific category of brain cells that are responsible for
controlling movement. Dr. Andrew S. Yoo, Assistant Professor of Developmental
Biology, and his research team focused their efforts into designing a protocol
that utilized and expanded their existing knowledge of the chemical properties
of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).The researchers exposed a
sample of skin cells to two small molecules of RNA (or microRNAs), miR-9 and
miR-124, because they knew from past experiments that these microRNAs could
alter the skin cells’ genetic codes. More specifically, these microRNAs have
the potential to rewrite DNA, which would enable the development and expression
of different genes. Thereby, a skin cell could function as a medium spiny
neuron with the appropriate DNA sequences typically found in medium spiny
neurons. Operating under this rationale,
the researchers further exposed their sample of skin cells to molecules known
as transcription factors that are present in certain areas of the brain where
medium spiny neurons exist. Matheus B. Victor, a co-collaborator, explains
that, “the transcription factors … then guide the skin cells to become a
specific subtype, in this case neurons.”Dr. Yoo reflects that “the
microRNAs, but not the
transcription factors, are important components for the general reprogramming
of human skin cells directly to neurons”. After injecting the reprogrammed
cells into the brains of mice, his team observed that the cells not only
survived for at least six months but also behaved similarly to the brains’
native medium spiny neurons. These results have positive implications for
future therapies, namely those to treat Huntington’s disease, which is an
inherited genetic disorder that causes involuntary muscle movements usually
occurring in mid-adulthood.Washington University in St. Louis. "Human skin cells reprogrammed directly into brain cells." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 October 2014. .

Researchers
at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have recently
developed a novel method of converting adult human skin cells into medium spiny
neurons, a specific category of brain cells that are responsible for
controlling movement. Dr. Andrew S. Yoo, Assistant Professor of Developmental
Biology, and his research team focused their efforts into designing a protocol
that utilized and expanded their existing knowledge of the chemical properties
of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).The researchers exposed a
sample of skin cells to two small molecules of RNA (or microRNAs), miR-9 and
miR-124, because they knew from past experiments that these microRNAs could
alter the skin cells’ genetic codes. More specifically, these microRNAs have
the potential to rewrite DNA, which would enable the development and expression
of different genes. Thereby, a skin cell could function as a medium spiny
neuron with the appropriate DNA sequences typically found in medium spiny
neurons. Operating under this rationale,
the researchers further exposed their sample of skin cells to molecules known
as transcription factors that are present in certain areas of the brain where
medium spiny neurons exist. Matheus B. Victor, a co-collaborator, explains
that, “the transcription factors … then guide the skin cells to become a
specific subtype, in this case neurons.”Dr. Yoo reflects that “the
microRNAs, but not the
transcription factors, are important components for the general reprogramming
of human skin cells directly to neurons”. After injecting the reprogrammed
cells into the brains of mice, his team observed that the cells not only
survived for at least six months but also behaved similarly to the brains’
native medium spiny neurons. These results have positive implications for
future therapies, namely those to treat Huntington’s disease, which is an
inherited genetic disorder that causes involuntary muscle movements usually
occurring in mid-adulthood.Washington University in St. Louis. "Human skin cells reprogrammed directly into brain cells." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 October 2014. .

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